About the Birmingham poet laureate
For more than 20 years Birmingham has led the way in fresh contemporary poetry, gaining a national and international reputation and setting a trend by appointing a Poet Laureate for the city. The Poet Laureate is chosen from poets who live or practice in Birmingham by a panel of judges.
The position of Birmingham's Poet Laureate is an honorary one, for which there is no payment. Candidates must be capable of writing good poetry and willing and able to perform their own work. All entrants have had work published and must be willing to get involved in key events and activities throughout the year. The Laureate would normally be resident or do most of their work in the Birmingham conurbation and would be commissioned to write some poems about Birmingham throughout the year.
is the current Poet Laureate for Birmingham, for the period October 2024 to 2026.